Laterally related wall structures with transverse tie

ABSTRACT

A WALL STRUCTURE HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED WALLS FOR RECEIVING A STRUCTURAL MATERIAL SUCH AS CONCRETE THEREBETWEEN HAS SPACER MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE WALLS TO MAINTAIN THE REQUIRED SEPARATION. THE STRUCTURE IS DESIGNED SO THAT EACH SPACER MAY BE SECURED TO ONE WALL AT ANY OF A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS ALONG A FIRST LINE AND, TO THE SECOND WALL, AT ANY OF A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS ALONG A SECOND LINE ANGULARLY DISPOSED TO THE FIRST LINE. IN ERECTING SUCH A STRUCTURE, EACH SPACER CAN BE DISPOSED AT THE POSITION WHERE THE FIRST AND SECOND LINES EFFECTIVELY INTERSECT WITHOUT REQUIRING PRECISE ALIGNMENT OF THE TWO WALLS.

Sept 20 1971 1'. s. cRAwLr-:Y '3,605,367

LATERALLY RELATED WALL STRUCTURES WITH TRANSVERSE TIE Filed May 27, 1969 2 SheetS-Sheet l A, .4 A* 'lm/Mm THOMAS B.cRAwLEY ATTO NEY 5Pf- 20 1971 T. a. cRAwLs-:Y 3,605,367

LATEEALLY RELATED WALL STRUCTURES WITH TRANsvEnsE TIE Filed lay 27. 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet a 4INVENTOR THOMAS B. CRAWLEY ATTORNEY United seres raient one@ U.S. Cl. 52-426 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wall structure having a pair of spaced walls for receiving a structural material such as concrete therebetween has spacer members extending between the walls to maintain the required separation. The structure is designed so that each spacer may be secured to one wall at any of a plurality of positions along a first line and, to the second wall, at any of a plurality of positions along a second line angularly disposed to the first line. In erecting such a structure, each spacer can be disposed at the position where the first and second lines effectively intersect without requiring precise alignment of the two walls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to wall structures and more particularly to wall structures having a lirst wall and a second wall spaced apart therefrom to define a space therebetween into which space a structural material such as concrete may be poured to complete the structure. The invention also provides spacer members and anchors for use in such wall structures.

The use of preformed panels for the construction of the inner and outer walls of wall structures has already been suggested and such systems have frequently involved the use of spacer members or ties for maintaining the inner and outer walls at the required separation while the structural material, for example concrete, is introduced therebetween. Many of the previously proposed systems have involved the provision of anchoring means on both the inner and outer walls for anchoring such spacer members in position and, in the use of such systems difficulties may arise in correctly positioning the inner and outer walls so that the respective anchoring means are correctly laligned with each other. The same difficulty can arise if the spacer members are adapted to be secured by having their ends disposed between corresponding courses of individual structural blocks or panels in the inner and outer walls of the wall structure.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a building or wall structure of the type having spaced apart inner and outer walls in which structure such inner and outer walls can be secured or keyed together by means of spacer members without difiiculty and without requiring any precise alignment of any anchoring means. By obviating the necessity of joint alignment between inner and outer walls, panels of various widths can be incorporated into the wall, providing the design with dimensional and aesthetic iiexibility.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To this end, the present invention provides a wall struc- 3,695,367 Patented Sept. 2i), 1971 ture comprising a first wall having an inner surface and a second wall having an inner surface facing said inner surface of said first wall and spaced apart therefrom,"

and a spacer member extending between said first and second walls yand secured to each of said walls, said `first wall being adapted to have said spacer member secured thereto at any one of a plurality of positions along a first line of securement, said second wall being adapted to have said spacer member secured thereto at any one of a plurality of positions along a second line of securement, said first and second lines of securement being angularly disposed with respect to each other, and said spacer member extending between said first and second walls at a position where said first and second lines of securement effectively intersect.

Since, in accordance with the invention, a spacer member can be secured to the first and second walls at any one of a plurality of positions along the aforementioned lines of securement rather than at only specific points on the walls, the need for accurate alignment of any such specific points is consequently avoided.

Normally, the walls forming the structures of the present invention will be formed from rectangular panels and preferably one of the aforesaid lines of securement will be generally horizontal while the other will be vertical. It will be appreciated that, when reference is made herein and in the appended claims to a position where the first and second lines of securement effectively intersect, it is intended to signify the point where these lines would intersect if the wall structure were viewed in elevation and no account was taken of the separation actualily existing between the first and second walls.

One particularly effective construction for a wall structure in accordance with this invention comprises a plurality of generally rectangular first wall panels disposed in edge abutment with each other and provided on their abutting horizontal edges with cooperating tongues and grooves to form a first wall, a plurality of wall-height generally rectangular second wall panels spaced apart from said first wall to define a space therebetween, said second wall panels being disposed in vertical edge abutment with each other to form a second wall and being provided in their abutting vertical edges with opposed grooves accommodating an elongated key, a generally vertical, elongated, alotted member secured to said second wall and having a plurality of vertically spaced apart slots therethrough, and at least one spacer member having a first end yand a second end, said spacer member being disposed at said first end between one of said tongues of said panels forming said first wall and its associated groove for securement of said spacer member to said first wall and said spacer member being secured at said second end to said slotted member.

As explained hereinafter, said elongated slotted member may usefully be provided with flanges which can then be disposed within the opposed grooves of an abutting pair of said second wall panels to secure such a slotted member to the second wall.

As hereinbefore indicated, the invention also provides novel spacer members for use in the wall structures of the invention and such a spacer member broadly comprises a first end and a second end, said first end being transversely folded to permit it to be accommodated between a tongue and a cooperating groove of first wall panels in edge abutment with each other and said second end of said spacer member being adapted for engagement with an elongated member secured to a second wall spaced apart from said first Wall. Useful constructions and optional features for such spacer members will be described hereinafter in greater detail with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described merely by way of illustration with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a partial perspective view of a wall structure in accordance with the invention showing several different embodiments for the structural components thereof; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial perspective view showing one embodiment of a spacer member in accordance with the invention, an associated elongated slotted member to which such spacer member is secured, and an optional anchor for use in the wall structure of FIG. l.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The wall structure generally indicated at in FIG. l comprises a first or inner wall generally indicated at 11 and, spaced apart therefrom, a second or outer wall generally indicated at 12. The inner wall 11 is formed from a number of generally rectangular wall panels or blocks 13 disposed in an appropriate number of layers or courses while the outer wall 12 is formed from a number of Wallheight panels generally indicated at 14, 15, 16 and 17. The invention is not, however, limited to this particular construction and also embraces the use of wall-height panels for the inner wall 11 as well as the ruse of smaller panels or blocks for the outer wall 12.

Spacer members 18 and 21 inclusive extend between the opposing inner surfaces of the inner and outer walls 11 and 12 respectively and are terminally secured to each of these walls in a manner that will be described hereinafter in greater detail.

In the structure illustrated, the blocks 13 of the inner wall 11 are formed centrally along their upper edge surfaces with elongated, upstanding tongues 22 and centrally along their undersurfaces with corresponding upwardly extending, elongated grooves 23 to provide a tongue-ingroove interlocking Ibetween the several courses of blocks in a well known manner. It will be appreciated that the blocks of the lowest course of the inner wall 11 may be provided with a groove 23 as actually illustrated for block 24 or such blocks of the lowest course may be provided with flat undersurfaces as illustrated for block 25. Similarly, the blocks of the uppermost course may, if desired, be provided with flat top surfaces as illustrated for block 26.

It will further be seen that the wall-height panels 14 to 17 of the outer wall 12 are provided in their vertically abutting edge surfaces with opposed elongated slots 27 within which a vertically extending key 28 having a generally rectangular, transverse section is disposed for the purpose of maintaining the adjacent panels of the outer wall 12 in alignment with each other.

Generally vertical, elongated slotted members 29 to 32 inclusive, each having a plurality of 'vertically spaced apart slots 33 therethrough, are provided in the outer wall 12 for the purpose of securing the spacer members to that wall in a manner which will be explained hereinafter.

The slotted members 29 and 30 are each provided with elongated side flanges 34 and 35 which are received within the slots 27 together with the keys 28 to secure the slotted members 29 and 30 to the outer wall 12. From FIG. 2, it Will be seen that, in this particular embodiment, the vertical edges of the panels and 16 are recessed to allow the front surface of the slotted member 30 to be exposed.

Referring further to the slotted member 31, it is to be noted that this member is formed as a unitary structure with a key 36 thereby avoiding the use of a separate key such as key 28. It should further be noted that it is not essential to provide the elongated slotted member between adjacent panels of the outer Wall 12. The slotted member 32 is, for example disposed inwardly from a longitudinal edge of the respective panel 17 of the outer wall 12. It will, however, be appreciated that such a member will need to be designed, for example, by the provision of the back plate 37, to maintain an open space behind the slots 33 for a reason which will become apparent as the description herein proceeds.

The different embodiments of the spacer members 18 to 21 actually shown in FIGS. l and 2 will now be described. Referring first to FIG. 2, the spacer member 19 shown therein is formed from sheet metal and is transversely folded at its lirst end 38 in the manner indicated at 39 so that it can be disposed between the tongue 22 of one of the blocks 13 and the corresponding groove 23 of an overlying block 13. The spacer member 19 is also longitudinally folded as at 40 to form an intermediate web 41 and a pair of downwardly projecting side flanges 42. A hooklike portion 43 is defined at the opposite end 44 of the spacer member 19 by slots 45 extending upwardly from the lower edges of the side flanges 42. It will be appreciated that the vertical height of the spacer member 19 at its second end 44 will be such as to allow this end of the spacer member to be inserted through any of the slots 33 of the slotted member 30. In accordance with a particularly useful but optional feature of the invention, such a spacer member 19 is formed from sheet metal and its side flanges 42 are formed so as to be urged resiliently apart to the positions shown in FIG. 2.

The spacer member 19 is also shown in FIG. 2 as being provided with a pair of upstanding and mutually separated lugs 46 and 47 which, in the embodiment illustrated, are cut out of the intermediate web 41 and bent upwardly in the manner shown. Referring again to FIG. l, it will be seen that these lugs may be utilized for securing a generally horizontal reinforcing bar 48 in position. To this end, the lugs are simply bent around the bar into the positions shown at 46' and 47 in FIG. 1. It should be appreciated that the provision of such lugs 46 and 47 is quite optional and, as shown for spacer members 18 and 21 in FIG. l, spacer members having n0 such lugs may also be utilized.

If it is desired to incorporate vertical reinforcing bars in `the space between the inner and outer'walls 11 and 12 respectively, such bars, for example bar 49, can usefully be secured in position by being wired as shown at 50 to the horizontal bars such as bar 48.

Additional keying of the first wall 11 to the structural material, such as concrete, poured into the space between the walls 11 and 12 can be obtained by the use of anchors such as anchors 51 and 52. Such anchors can usefully be held in position in the same manner as is adopted for securing the spacer members 18 to 21 to the inner wall 11, i.e. by the provision of suitable transverse folds 53 which enable one end of such an anchor to be disposed between one of the tongues 22 and its associated groove 23. Positive keying of the anchors 51 and 52 within the concrete which is subsequently poured between the walls 11 and 12 is ensured by the outstanding lug 54 provided at the free end of such an anchor. The vertical rigidity of such an anchor 51 may be improved by providing it with downwardly directed side flanges 55 (FIG. 2).

The use of anchors 51 and 52 may also serve to prevent or reduce any slight imbalance of the blocks 13 caused by the disposition of the first ends 38 of spacer members within the groove 23 in the undersurface of such blocks. For instance, such a block 13 placed over the spacer member 19 will be securely supported at its two ends by the anchors 51 and 52.

If desired, the panels of the outer wall 12 may be keyed into the concrete which is subsequently poured into the space between the walls 11 and 12 by projecting wires 56 which are cast into the panels of the outer wall 12 during their manufacture, as indicated by way of example at 57 in FIG. 2. Similarly, the panels of the outer wall 12 may be provided with lifting rings 58 to allow these panels readily to be hoisted into position. By twisting adjacent wires 56 together the panels of the outer wall 12 may be secured in close vertical edge abutment with each other as indicated at 56a in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIG. l, double spacer members such as spacer member 59 may be utilized at a corner of the wall structure 10. Such a double spacer member is formed with interconnected first and second arms 50 and 61 which engage the tongues of the blocks 13 on the two sides of the corner. The arms 60 and 61 meet at 62 where a hole is provided to allow wires 63 and 64 precast as at 65 into the panel 17 of the outer wall 12 to be secured to the spacer member 59.

The panels used in the inner and outer walls of a wall structure in accordance with the present invention can be for-med of any suitable material. Merely by way of example, it might be indicated that the panel 17 is shown as being formed completely of a structural grade concrete while the panels 14, 1S and 16 are shown as being formed of a structural grade concrete with inserts 66 of an insulating grade concrete in their inner faces. Similarly, the spacer members and the anchors may be formed of any suitable material although the use of sheet material, for example, steel, for the manufacture of these components is dictated presently by economic considerations.

In erecting the wall structure shown in FIG. 1, the panels 14 to 17 of the outer wall 12 are first erected on suitable foundations (not shown) and the outer wall 12 is then temporarily supported using suitable shoring (not shown) which may be of any appropriate type. During the erection of the outer wall 12, the keys 28 and the slotted members 29, 30 and 31 will be positioned within the grooves 27 as shown and, if desired, some of the inwardly projecting wires 56 may be vtwisted together as shown at 56a. When the erection of the outer wall 12 is completed, the lowest course of the inner wall 11 is positioned on suitable foundations (not shown). An appropriate number of spacer members of the types shown are then placed in position. To this end, the side fianges 42 of the hook 43 (FIG. 2) of each such spacer member are manually pressed together to allow the hook 43 to be inserted into an appropriate slot 33 of the appropriate slotted member 29, 30, 31 or 32 until the upstanding lower edge of such a slot is disposed within the slot 45 of the spacer member. The hook 43 is then securely retained in position by virtue of the resiliency of its side fianges which are urged to the positions shown in FIG. 2. The -first end .38 of each spacer member is then positioned over the upstanding tongue 22 of the appropriate block 13 of the lowest course of the inner wall 11.

Since the slotted members 29 to 32 are disposed generally vertically and since the spacer members can be disposed at any position along the tongue 22, no problem arises in aligning the blocks 13 of the inner wall 11 with respect to the panels of the outer wall 12. All that is in fact necessary is to dispose the spacer members at the positions where the vertical lines of slots 33 effectively intersect the horizontal line defined by the tongues 22 of the lowest course of the blocks 13. It will further be appreciated that, although there might be a very slight misalignment of the two slots 33 which are nearest the tongue 22, such misalignment will be so slight as to be of no practical consequence.

When the desired number of spacer members have been positioned on the lowest course of blocks 13, horizontal and vertical reinforcing bars may be secured in position in the manner already described if such bars are to be used. The second course of the wall blocks 13 is then erected simply by placing the blocks 13 of this course on the blocks of the lowest course so that the tongues 22 of the latter are received within the grooves 23 of the blocks l13- of the second course. During this operation, the first ends 38 of the spacer members already placed over the tongues 22 of the first course of blocks 13 become secured between such tongues and the cooperating grooves of the blocks of the second course.

This procedure is continued until the wall ,11 has been completely erected. Anchors such as anchors 51 and l52 may also be inserted between the blocks 13 during the erection of the wall 11 as already explained. Similarly, double spacer members such as member `'59 may be inserted into the structure as already described.

When the erection of the wall 11 is complete, a suitable structural material such as concrete is poured into the space between the walls 11 and 12 and this material is allowed to set and cure. The temporary shoring is then removed from the outer wall 12 and any finishing operations such as plastering and painting are carried out.

Numerous modifications and variations in the structures and procedures hereinbefore specifically described are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto. In particular, it should be stressed that the invention resides in providing means on the opposed faces of the first and second walls whereby suitable spacer members may be secured to such walls along first and second lines of securement which lines effectively intersect. Many different systems may be adopted in practice for securing the spacer members to the first and second walls along these lines of securement and many different designs for the spacer members themselves are possible.

What -I claim is:

1. A wall structure comprising a first wall having an inner surface and formed from a plurality of generally rectangular wall panels disposed in substantially horizontal edge abutment with each other, said wall panels forming said first wall being provided with cooperating tongues and grooves along generally horizontal abutting edges thereof, a second wall having an inner surface facing said inner surface of said first wall, spaced apart therefrom and formed from a plurality of generally rectangular wall panels disposed in vertical edge abutment with each other, a generally vertical, elongated slotted member keyed into elongated slots provided in opposing and abutting generally vertical edge faces of said Wall panels forming said second wall, and a spacer member having first and second ends, extending between said first and second walls and secured at said first and second ends thereof to respective ones of said walls, said first end of said spacer member being transversely folded to permit it to be accommodated between a tongue and a cooperating groove of said first wall panels in edge abutment with each other, said second end of said spacer member being provided with a hook-like end portion adapted to be inserted into any one of a series of slots provided through said elongated slotted member and so to engage said elongated member, said spacer member being longitudinally folded between said first and second ends thereof to provide an intermediate web and a pair of downwardly directed side flanges having bottom edges and said hooklike end portion of said spacer member being defined by slots extending upwardly from said bottom edges of said downwardly directed side flanges.

2. A wall structure as claimed in claim 1 in Which said intermediate web of said spacer member is upset intermediate said first and second ends thereof to provide a deformable lug for securing a reinforcing bar to said spacer member.

3. A wall structure as claimed in claim 2 in which said spacer member is formed from sheet metal and in which said downwardly directed side flanges of said hook-like end portion of said spacer member are resiliently urged apart by virtue of their inherent resilience.

(References on following page) 8 References Cited 3,193,885 7/ 1965 yGartner 52-496 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,381,437 5/1968 Kidney 52-586 1913 Horsfeld 52-715 FOREIGN PATENTS 1918 Stanley 52P-715 5 990,421 1965 Great Britain 52-715 3/1906 Hood 52-714 382,041 1932 Great Britain 52-714 9/1909 Fincke 52--714 2/ 1911 Rollinger 52-714 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner 2/ 1915 Marshall '5 2 5 86 2/1924 Coombs 52-426 10 H. C. SUTHERLAND, Asslstant Exammer 7/1939 Reed 52--426 U S CL X R 4/1959 Plendl 52-586 52 6g9, 714 

